Lichties hope to go 15 clear

Arbroath host Blues again

Arbroath manager Dick Campbell reckons tonight’s rearranged game with Stranraer has been made more difficult for his table-topping side after Stenhousemuir won on Saturday.

The Lichties welcome the Blues to Gayfield for a second time in three days, with the first meeting abandoned after 11 minutes due to the high winds that were battering the ground.

Campbell said: “You could say that calling the game off whilst others went ahead has given Stranraer a greater need to win. Stenhousemuir defeating Montrose has really pulled Stranraer into the relegation fight whereas nothing changed for us as Raith were playing in the cup, although Forfar did catch up with them.

“That might give Stranraer extra motivation and we need to match that. If we do, I believe we have the players that can go on and win the game.

“Stevie Farrell is a good manager and I reckon he will lead Stranraer out of trouble. However, I am quite happy to make him wait for that to happen.”

Campbell, who has no injury or suspension worries is set to go with the same starting 11.

He added: “We are ready to go again and it would be unfair to make any changes based on what we saw on Saturday.

“I have no criticism of how the referee went about things and as soon as Darren Jamieson’s goal kick went back over his head and over the bar it was time to call it off.”

Footage of that wayward goal kick went viral over the weekend with people left in no doubts about the call-off.

Stranraer head to Gayfield with Farrell glad to have a second chance to emphasise just how important a victory is.

Farrell’s side sit just two points above new bottom side Dumbarton with the Stranraer boss saying: “If anyone was in any doubt that our season is now one of fighting for survival, I have had the chance to tell them twice now.

“We wanted to be involved in a promotion push however our recent run of results has changed that.

“We are a good team going forward but we have to improve defensively.

“We have been easy to score against and every player has to help us to stop conceding the type of goals we have been conceding.”

Farrell added: “We have talked and talked about it. This would be a great game to show that we have learned.

“On paper it looks like a really tough outing for us however we won at Gayfield in the Scottish Cup earlier in the season so we can take confidence from that.”